I'm still alive...

oops...haven't updated this blog in ages.

I have been reading heaps...but I forget what exactly. In the weekend I read North and South...and am seriously thinking about subscribing. What a terrific magazine with interesting articles to read. In this months issue there is an article about Aspergers Syndrome...which I read front start to finish...then again. How very interesting. I have photo copied the article and given it to my teaching colleagues.

I am currently reading Mao's Last Dancer, which is about a boy (Li) who was born in communist China and was hand picked to attend a top Chinese Dance company at the age of about 9-10...then went to America to dance...very intriguing so far...there is a movie too. A teacher friend lent me a children's picture book, which is also about the same story.

The Lovely Bones - Movie

I loved it!

Bridget, Ollivia and I went to see The Lovely Bones this morning. I think Peter Jackson did a fabulous job of making Alice Sebold's book into a movie. I have read the book twice (must be a fan) and was pleased that most of the events stayed true. I didn't like how the main character (Suzie) meets the other victims...I don't recall her actually meeting them in the book? Also, Mum's affair with the detective was missing, which I am pleased with...because I thought it was unnecessary in the book anyway.

All actors (minus Susan Sarandon) played their parts well...especially the guy who played the murdering neighbour...he was terrifyingly freaky.

I've missed out on seeing Time Traveller's Wife at the movies...so will have to wait until it is out on DVD.

Lost in Austen

I'm a big fan of Jane Austen and her novels. The last couple of evenings I have been watching a mini-series called Lost in Austen. This movie is a take-off from Austen's Pride and Prejudice, where the main character, Amanda Price, is in love with Austen's book and wants to find love with a man like Darcy (main male character of Pride and Prejudice for those of you who don't know).

Anyway, somehow she stumbles back in time (by going through a door in her bathroom) into the world of Darcy, the Bennett family and the Bingley's. Her arrival causes all sorts of chaos, such as, Jane Bennett marrying Mr Collins instead of Bingley, Lydia Bennett runs off with Bingley instead of Wickham, Darcy falls in love with Amanda instead of Elizabeth Bennett etc etc.

It was quite a funny movie...

Oh, I have finished An Echo of Bone by Diana Gabaldon and loved it! I can't wait until the next novel, as Roger has gone back in time to search for his young son, who has infact been kidnapped and hidden in modern day time still...oh dear!

Am off to the library tomorrow morning to stock up on some holiday reading...except the other day I discoverred two library books sitting under the bed which were at least 2 months overdue. Oops. So I guess I will be forking up some money before I am allowed to have any books issued to me.

Utter Disappointment!

Bridget and I went to New Moon last week and Ihave to say...we both were a bit disappointed. The movie was long...and the casting agency should be sacked...they did not do a good job in picking Robert Pattinson to be Edward Cullen! The book was so much better. Nonetheless...I will probably go and see the next movie in the Twilight series...just to be curious...

Slow reading of late...

I have been a little pre-occupied with report writing, portfolio assembling, staff functions etc to do any major reading of late. In fact I am still slowly churning my way through Diana Gabaldon's A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I originally picked this book from mybook shelves to re-read before reading the next book in the series...but it seems that I never read it in the first place. Knowing me, I had several books on the go, and I put it on the shelf for a 'must read later'...and forgot about it. I am nearly finished, and am looking forward to the next installment, plus the book i mentioned in a previous blog post that Mum lent me.

I daresay that any major reading will not happen until December 18 - first day of my holiday!

But! My friend, Bridget and I are going to the movies on Wednesday night to see New Moon (second Twilight movie). I didn't really like the first movie that much, but I have seen the preview of this next movie....and it looks GGOOOOODDDDD!


I still think the casting people could have found a better Edward though...

Time Traveler's Wife

Another good movie to come out this month! A great book called Time Traveler's Wife has been made into a movie...marvellous!!!

Looking forward to next weekend

Next weekend, Malcolm and I are going camping at Lake Benmore. This is our first camping trip together...but I am assuming it will consist of Malcolm spending most of his time fishing and me sitting in the sun (because YES it WILL be sunny) reading. Sounds like bliss...

My student teacher had her last day in Room 5 yesterday and she gave me a Whitcoulls voucher to say thank you - very nice of her - so I purchased Diana Gabaldon's latest book An Echo in the Bones to read. I am currently re-reading the book that comes before it (I think there are 7 books in total?) as a refresher. It is called A Breath of Snow ans Ashes. I love this series - it begain with Cross-Stitch. The series is about a woman, Claire, who accidentally goes back in time and falls in love with a Scottish Highlander. VERY GOOD!!!

Also, Mum and Dad were up for lunch today and Mum has lent me the latest Anita Diamant book called Day After Night. Anita Diamant is one of my favourite authors. She hasn't got many books released yet...but the three she has are superb. The Red Tent was the first - about Dinah who was Joseph's (of the technicolour dreamcoat) sister in the Bible, and tells the tragedy of when her jealous brothers killed her husband and his family...another suberb story. Anyway, this new book is about some young women who escaped to Israel from Nazi Europe during WWII...sounds interesting.

Will let you know how the books go after next weekend.